Grammy Letter

Dear Family

            This week we still get to celebrate Robert Tischner’s (Cousin) birthday on Thursday and a lot of anniversaries.  Happy days to eveyone!

            What a fun morning it was to share Dad’s birthday with all the siblings and spouses this week.  We were especially glad to have Bernard (Grammy's little brother) and Vicki join us.  Reta (Grammy's little sister)  also traveled a long distance to join us and we were so glad to see her.  We were so sorry that Dixie (Grammy's little sister) didn’t get to celebrate her anniversary with her husband, but we are sure he and the boys had fun in Jackson Hole.  We also missed Brent joining us and were sorry that Bruce had to leave early to get to the Stake Baptisms.  His pancakes were sure good though!

            The weather has been so beautiful.  I still haven’t had a frost at my house so we are still enjoying squash and tomatoes.  The nights have been so pleasant.  We are wondering if the traditional rainy weather will hit us for General Conference.

            Dad has asked me to put the following in the family letter:

            He wanted to extend a special thanks to everyone for his wonderful birthday celebration.  He was especially grateful to Bernard and Vicki for coming such a long way to share in his special day.  He said with gas prices the way they are, that was a big sacrifice for them.  He has so enjoyed the special memories that were included in his memory jar from everyone.  He read them over the weekend and said they really touched his heart and to thank everyone for their thoughts and memories.  He was very happy to receive a phone call from Cody to wish him happy birthday.  He said that the reception was very poor, but he was very glad to get to talk with him.  Today (Monday) he is raking and bailing hay.  This will be the last of the hay crop and they will all be glad to get it in. 

            We loved the Relief Society Women’s Conference on Saturday and are looking forward to the General Conference this upcoming weekend.  It always goes by so fast!

            We love you all

            Carol and Kathy

church work and sleep!

well where do we begin! Not much going on here we recently stated teaching the ctr 5 class in Church and We love it, the kids arent to bad. They get out of hand every once in a while but they are wonderful. the Bischopric stopped by last week to offer us some conferance tickets. Jeanne is way excited to go to conferance FOR THE FIRST TIME! this will be my fourth time and, I love to go and feel the spirit whip through this HUGE building. every little detail about the conferance building is awesome.
Work is the same trying to get as many hours as we can for trips and the holidays. after all Halloween is the best time of the Year :) and I need to buy all the spooky things i can. thats about all that is going on in our lives. OH I can't forget sleep thats the best part of all. love you all. miss you jae-yo, hope things get easier and we'll see you in two weeks or so.

Ellee Jo and the Jog-A-Thon

I am doing a Jog a thon at school.  The money is used for playground equipment and other things that we need at our school.  I am asking if you will sponsor me.   You will pay the offered rate for every lap I complete.  There are lots of prizes I can win.  The sign up deadline is October 3rd and the money is due October 17th 2008.  Will you help me out?  

Thanks Ellee Jo

Our Introduction

Hola Hogan family community! Well, we're the Normans and we thought we'd finally introduce ourselves. Rebekah, Bren and Genoveva Norman. We are somewhat an extension to Roy and Penni's little family. Not by any legal means but of more in an 'honorary' sense.

We live in Benton City and about 3 months ago we had the first addition to our family. As you can see from the pictures posted she has taken to the Hogans quite well. (Do we foresee some babysitters?) It's as if she has always been with us. One big happy family!

Well, it's late and I'm being summoned to my quarters (this is Rebekah typing). Muchos besos and thanks for letting us be apart of the family fun. We love y'all!

It is so fun to read the postings to this blog. Thanks Roy for setting it up.

Elle Jo, Grammy loved reading about your school and all your friends. I love getting your phone calls every school morning and having you read to me. I love to read also, and I am so glad that you enjoy it. You are such a good reader!

Jae, thanks for your phone call. It was fun to talk to you. I also enjoyed seeing your picture. You said you were going to post others, but I didn't see them. You do look "intense" in this picture. I sure hope that you buckle down to your school work in your math and chemistry class so that you will be allowed to continue to play volleyball. I know how much you love it!

It is really raining here today - just one of those "dreary" looking days. Hard to get moving when it is so dark outside.

Please remember to send me your memories and/or comments about Grandpa on the farm for his birthday. I need to get them to Aunt Reta ASAP.

Love you all
Grammy

School Days

Im going  to talk about school my teacher,s name is miss,pierce. My principal,s name is yale I love school.Now im  going to tell you my friend name,s

1. Brie

2. Araceli

3. Fernanda

4. Onofre

5. Braden

and that s the end of my story.

I love you all.

Ellee Jo

It's a new week and life continues to be good. Lynn was sick earlier in the week. Thursday he complained of his stomach hurting, but was rubbing his chest, so Marie took him to the hospital. I met them there. They ran tons of tests and determined it really was his stomach/intestines and not his heart. We were very grateful to be able to take him home that night. He spent Friday with Mom and I. We knew he was sick when an appliance service man came to work on our fridge, washer, and dishwasher. Lynn just opened one eye and promptly went right back to sleep. Usually he'd be right in the middle of everything trying to help. He came again on Saturday to watch the game, go to eat with us and local Hogan family members, and spent the night. He enjoyed going to church with me today. He's going back home this afternoon and is doing great.

I'v thought a lot about Grandma Renner and Grandpa Hogan this month, as it is their birthday month. Grandpa was the master of teasing and yet very wise. He was pretty wild as a young man, but changed his life in order to marry Grandma Hogan. From that time forth he devoted his life to his family, Heavenly Father, and serving others. When he passed away, the line to his viewing extended out the door and around the building outside. He was loved by young, old, and all races.

Grandma Renner was a joy. I have her first set of scriptures (not the set she had when she died). Looking through it the other day, I realized she LOVED the scriptures. The pages are worn from marking and reading. She wrote comments in many places. My set of scriptures still look new after 10 years. i'm afraid of making a mistake, tearing it or something. After looking through Grandma's, I realized scriptures are like a workbook and I need to study like one and not keep them as museum piece. Which brings me to a thought I heard this week:

Prayer invites the Spirit, but the scriptures hold the answers we need.

It is also Grandpa Israelsen's birthday this month. He too is a great tease, but has such a tender heart. I was in awe of the number of people who came to the student ward open house in his honor. He has literally blessed the lives of thousands of people. What an honor it is to be his grandchild.


I'm grateful for all of my Grandparents, Hogan, Renner, Israelsen, and Gilgen. They were great examples of faith and service. I pray I can live my life as well as they did, because I know if I do, I can be reunited with them.

Love ya, Aunt Kathy

Jaelyn's Intensity

Okayy so we lost this game but we played SO

good. I was really intense as you can see. Lol.

It was great. Im gonna add more photos on

here so this is all for now. Love you all!!

-Jaelyn-

Grandpa's Birthday

Most of you know that it is Dad’s (Grandpa on the Farms) birthday on Saturday Sept 27^th.  He didn’t want a lot of fanfare but the following has been suggested:  “Reta has suggested that we give Dad "89+ reasons that we love him."  Inasmuch as he has at least that many direct descendants, encourage each of your family members to write at least one reason you love him.  Reta will prepare the gift for Grandpa from these individual submissions.  She did not say, but I would think it would be nice if names (of those writing) were attached.”

There isn’t a lot of time to get this in, so would you please do this ASAP.  You can email me all your families responses and I will see that Reta gets them.  Thanks so much for your help on this issue.

 

Love Mom / Grandma

Grammy's Weekly Letter

Sep 15, 2008

Dear Family

            This week LaDean (Grammy's sister) gets to celebrate her birthday all by herself!  How about that!  She has always been spoiled though – and we love to spoil her.  Hope you have a great day LaDean.  The sisters lunch has been moved to Sept 25^th to honor her birthday since she filled her week up this week. 

            Before I forget to mention it – The Hogan family I guess will be in charge of Thanksgiving dinner this year since I didn’t hear any big outcry of anyone else willing to oversee it.  We weren’t able to get the Young Ward building as it was already spoken for, but I scheduled the building that is our home-ward for our dinner.  I know that some prefer a home to gather in – but we don’t have a home big enough to do it, so with the church the kids can play basketball and other games.  We will be contacting all of you with assignments.  It would be nice if you had an idea of how many of your children would be joining us. 

            Also, Kathy, Emma (cousin) and I will be sponsoring a shower for Shara (cousin).  Kathy recommended that since some will be traveling to join us for Thanksgiving, that we have the shower the next day so that you can still join us.  I have scheduled the Young Ward building for that event.  We will be notifying you of further information for time, etc.  I have the building scheduled from 12:00 to 4:00, so keep your schedule open if possible for that event.   We will be doing the “traditional” quilt at that time also.

            We had such a nice time visiting with family members yesterday as we listened to Jenny (couisn)  give an absolutely wonderful testimony at Sacrament Meeting.  Actually the entire meeting was very touching.  The young couple that spoke with her were so good, and the spirit was so strong throughout the meeting.  It was also nice to share a wonderful lunch with everyone.  I had to smile about one of Jenny’s male friends.  He came in the door and glanced into the living room seeing Dad.  He said, “Wow!  There’s brother Israelsen.  What is he doing here?  Are you related to the Israelsen’s?”  Jenny of course explained that her Mom was an Israelsen.  The young man said, “He gave me my patriarchal blessing!”  It is always a small world when you deal with the church.

            Some of you have heard my story about our bathroom cleaning product called “Pretty Potty”.  We have used it for years to clean the toilet, however, the lady that assists with our deep cleaning is from Peru and speaks very little English.  We couldn’t get her to understand how to use it properly so it got slid to the back of my undersink cabinet.  Recently, as she pulled out all the things under the sink to clean it well, she started to “chatter” in Spanish.  Upon inspecting, the chemical had eaten through the plastic container in which it had been purchased, had eaten the paint off the cabinet floor and had eaten into the wood.  The hot and cold pipes were disintegrating and the hinges were coroded.  When we called to find out how to neutralize the products effects on the counter, we were told that everything would have to be replaced as it would continue to give off the destructive fumes.  I called Ammon Dauges and he came to “fix” things.  He had to cut out the square of flooring, put in an entire new floor, replace all the pipes and hinges, etc.  I had him also look under Kathy’s sink and her’s had destroyed the drain pipe and the sink faucet feature, so that had to also be replaced.  Soooo $600+ later, we had the mess cleaned up.  I don’t think that I will be using that product any more!

            Roy and Penni have chosen to move Jae from the public school system in Tri-Cities to a Catholic private school.  She was having some major problems and through prayer and fasting, they found this small private school that they felt was an answer to their prayers.  Jae has been competing in sports almost since she was big enough to walk, but she has especially enjoyed Volleyball was to be on the varsity team this year.  The new school is very very small – I think she said around 150 students.  Anyway she is on the varsity team there, and they have been winning all their games and it looks very favorable for them to be going to State.  She is really excited to be on such a good team.  We are hoping that this scholastic move will be a very favorable one for her.  Her Bishop is also the Seminary teacher in her former school, so he is working 1-1 with her for her Seminary program.  We pray that this move will truly be an answer to all our prayers.  She is such a wonderful young woman and I love her so much!

            We finished building 4 more planter boxes this week.  That will give us a headstart in the sping instead of trying to build them then.  It was fun to have Rachel’s help one day to assist with 2 of them. 

            Family members have been submitting the missionary letters to me and I print them all up for Dad to enjoy.  Some of you have requested a copy of them also.  I am going to add  my sibling names to a mailing list for the missionary letters each week.  If others of you want to read them also, please let me know.  If the sibling group are not interested in reading all the letters, let me know and I will  remove you from the mailing list.  Better close for now.  Love you all so much.

            Carol and Kathy

So cool

Hey! I hope everyone's doing ok. I just had to share this really cool experience our family just had. Our Stake is doing a "Special Invitation Sunday" open house Sacrament Meeting on September 21st. Pass along invitation cards were made and each family in our ward was challenged to take some to pass on to friends, family, and neighbors. I called the full-time missionaries a week ago and asked if they had any left. They assured us that they did and asked how many we needed. I told them I needed between 15 and 20 so we could get them out to every house in our neighborhood, after which there was dead silence. When I asked if that was too many, they assured me that it would be fine...they were just in shock because no one else had asked for so many! When they came about 15 minutes later, they gave us the cards and left us with a promise that if we would be prayerful and follow through, Heavenly Father would bless our family with courage and the ability to reach our goal. Tonight for Family Home Evening, Charles, Heather, Eric, Rachel and I had a prayer and then divided up and covered the whole neighborhood. Some of us were very nervous and even hesitant, but we pulled together and got it done. There were a couple of negative reactions, but all in all it was a very positive, uplifting, great experience. A few people even expressed some interest. We came back home with 4 cards, 2 of which will go to people that Charles works with, 1 to Mark's girlfriend, Claudia, and the last to a cashier at the grocery store that Karla has become friends with. What a wonderful thing it's been to share...as a family...something we are so privileged to have to share.

Just Us

There isn't anything really new to report. We built four new garden boxes. They are spaced so I can reach them from the wheelchair on three sides. That is really great for me and much easier on Grammie's back.

I woke up a couple weeks ago and immediately realized my leg wasn't hurting. It lasted for three wonderful days. During that time I had big dreams of returning to teaching. Reality returned when it started itching like crazy, followed by deeper and more intense pain. I still don't have the constant raw road rash pain, which is nice. Usually my mornings are pretty good, but I'm climbing the walls by bed time. The only thing I can figure is whatever is causing this has moved from the nerves to the muscle. I'm starting pool therapy today. Maybe that will help with the stability.

We went to listen to Jenny Maples misson talk yesterday and had a delightful family dinner afterwards.

Gabe (Uncle Lionel's boy) found a floor (3ft x 4ft) puzzle he really liked at the hospital gift shop. I took him over on Friday to buy it. They had one put together and covered by plexiglass. When I picked up the boxed puzzle, he got really frustrated because he wanted the "big" one on the floor. I tried to explain to him that when we put all of the pieces together, it would be just like the big one. He wasn't convinced and complained all of the way back to Grammies house. Unfortunately his mom was waiting for us and he had to leave before we could get it put together. He didn't care because he wanted the "big" one anyway.

Aunt Emma starts classes next week. I'm going to do pre-school with Gabe during her class time. He's really excited for me to be his teacher, but can't figure out how we can have school at Grandma's. It should be at a school building. "That's why they name it pre-SCHOOL!" He's a lot of fun.

Lynn is doing good. He was here for the BYU football game last Saturday. Between Tyler (Marie's husband), Grammy, and Lynn I thought the roof was going to come off. They are pretty animated. Tyler and Marie, Hancocks, Dyers and I are going to the USU-BYU game. Grammy decided she didn't want to watch the game at home alone. So she is going too. It should be fun. For some reason, I think we'll be sitting on the BYU side (Yep even Hancocks and Dyers are BYU fans).

Due to house and car repairs, Grammy and I are pinching pennies right now, so we probably won't be joining you this time in Boise. However we would like to another time. We hope you really do make it to State - Jae. We look forward to FHE with Jeanne and Chad. We really hope Tonia and Doug will join us too. We miss all of you and love you dearly.

Aunt Kathy

we are so happy to be togeter

hi this is the edwards wadding

chad,tonia,doug, jl

my sisters and us

we are happy to be togeter forever

tonia

Sweet Revenge!!!

Today was basically AMAZING sweet revenge. IDK if any of you know what

happened to my aunt Jolene. She was coaching in Burbank (JV) for 12 yrs

and the varsity coach quit (the TCP coach just started teaching PE in Burbank)

and the TCP head coach started asking Jolene questions about the Burbank

volleyball program (everyone thought he would apply for the C team coaching

position at Burbank when the JV coach [Jolene] started coaching Varsity 

and my uncle JJ [the C team coach] started coaching JV). Little did we know

Jolene was being set-up by him and the Burbank athletic director. So Jolene

applied for the Varsity coaching position thinking she was the only one.

Meanwhile Bob Kharrett (carrot) applied as well. He got the job and Jolene

went to TCP and applied for the Varsity coaching position and JJ applied 

for the JV position and they got it. So we were invited to the "Burbank Invite"

(it has been known as the Coyote Invite for the last 25 yrs til RETARD Bob

decided to change it). So he set us up to play Royal who he thought would kill

us and then we ended winning that game (obviously) and Burbank lost their

first two and were out. So we got first and they didnt place. LO FREAKING L!!!

It was AMAZING!! When we won FIRST PLACE against Granger the parents

were like "why are they acting like they just won state?" Then one of the ladies

from Burbank (all the Burbank players were told to not talk to us and cheer

against and none of them listened. They all cheered FOR us.) turned around to

them and explained what happened to Jolene and how it was just a sweet

victory. Sorry if no one understood. Thats my best explanation!!! Love you all!

I MISS YOU JEANNE and CHAD-YO!!!!

-Jaelyn Kae-

Go Jags!!

Jaelyn @ volleyball

Jae cheering on her team!

The Champs!!!!!!!!

The Tri-Cities Prep girls volleyball team played in a tournament today and beat out 3 other teams including  Touchet Washington who are 3rd ranked in state.  Last year TCP lost most of their games.  This year there is a new coach (Jaelyn's Aunt Jolene) and they are on fire.  They are predicted to go to state this year for the first time ever.  We are very proud of all of them and wish them the best.

GO JAGS!!!! 

We are so excited to hear from you Chad and Jeanne.  We are glad to hear that you are happy and healthy.  Glad also to hear that you survived all of the people you had staying at your house.  WOW you are teaching the five year olds???  What a hoot I would like to see that.  I bet you two are wonderful with those kiddos.  Things here are pretty much the same.  Jaelyn has settled into her new school.  Because she moved high schools and played varsity volleyball, she is not allowed to play varsity volleyball at the new school until she appealed the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association.  A week ago last Wednesday we drove two hours (a story in itself) to the hearing to prove that she changed schools due to a hardship and not for athletic reasons.  We plead her case and the board approved her appeal and she is now playing varsity Volleyball at Prep.  They are doing a bang up job and will likely go to state this year.  We will keep you posted.  Ellee Jo is loving the second grade.  She loves her new friends, her teacher and recess of course.  Penni and I keep going to work, nothing exciting there.  We are looking forward to our weekend in Boise.  Three rooms have been reserved for two nights at the Holidome for Friday through Sunday, October 10^th, 11^th and 12^th.  One for Tonia and Doug, Chad and Jeanne, and us.  Anyone else wanting to join us, please come and play.  We are going to be swimming, playing games, eating good food and just hanging out.  It is all indoors under a big dome.  The swimming pool sports a giant 25 foot wall where on Saturday night they project a family movie to watch while we are in the pool.  They call it an indoor “drive-in”.  On Saturday we will be visiting 2 or 3 camping/cabin resorts in the Boise area where we will hold our first annual family reunion next summer.  On Sunday we will go to church together and then head home.  You will need to call 208-343-4900 to reserve your own room.  Jeanne and Chad, ask Tonia to blog and tell us how she is feeling.  What about Doug?  Is he working, hanging out, or lounging by the pool eating bon bons all day?  Doug and Tonia are you out there???  Love all of you!!!!  Let hear from you a bit more often huh??  LOL

We're still alive!!!

we have just recovered from all the our family being at our house. we have just been working and sleeping and trying to get out of debt. we are hoping to be going through the temple soon we just need to work on a few things. We also have received a calling teaching the ctr 5 class its been a challange but we are getting the hang of it. We will keep you up dated on the temple well thats all for now we will try to get better at this blogging thing sorry it has been so long we will try to do better we love and miss all of you cant wait to see you we hope your week is going great
Love Chad and Jeanne

Grammy's Weekly Letter

Sep 8, 2008

Dear Family

            Our birthday wishes this week go to Haley Tischner today and Marlene Israelsen on Friday.  Happy Birthday to both of you.  We hope that you have something special to make your days wonderful. 

            We have been so happy with the grow boxes that we put in last year, that we are make some more to go in our back yard.  We figured that if we could make them now, they would be ready to plant early in the spring instead of so late like we did this year.  The watermellon that we planted is only as big as an orange so they won’t provide any fruit this year, but all the other things that we planted have produced wonderfully.  We are really enjoying our grape tomatoes.  The other large tomatoes have not done as well, but we hope that the weather will hold off long enough for us to get some of them also.

            I was surprised to learn that Uncle Bernard (Grammy's little brother) has had such an unfilled need and desire to learn to play the piano.  I really feel bad that he was so deprived in his youth, and wonder if there is some way that we can remedy that need even though he is old and probably challanged in his learning abilities at this time in his life.  We certainly extend to you our sorrow at your lack of fulfillment Bernard.

            Dad (Grandpa "on the farm") had a bad tooth again this last week that kept him awake at night.  He was able to get in to see Johnny (Grammy's cousin who is a dentist) the next day, and apparently he had a lot of infection in the tooth and John did a root canal and put him on an antibiotic.  Dad feels like he is running out of options with his teeth, but John doesn’t want to pull them.  He has been so good to perform these services for Dad for a donation of eggs each time. 

            Dad has ask that I put the following in the letter regarding his upcoming birthday.  “I do not need anything.  Tell everyone to put their money toward the support of their missionaries and families and to just give me a call to wish me Happy Birthday.  I don’t need more ‘stuff’ around my house.”

            We enjoyed quilting at KayDawn’s (Grammy's little sister)  again this past week.  We were able to tie 3 quilts and then each took one to bind.  We love just getting together and would remind any of the family that would like to join that we meet the first and third Wednesday’s of each month.  I was grateful to have KayDawn come over and help me put the kingsized quilt I am doing for Kris (Roy's niece) on my frames.  Kathy always has so much fun playing with Katie (KayDawn's baby)  while we are quilting, and so we were excited last night when KayDawn and Tracy (The Husband)  called and asked if we could watch her for a few minutes while Tracy had to run into work.  We were so excited to have her here.  She is such a delightful little girl and SO sharp.  Everyone needs to be careful around her as she picks up things so quickly and remembers them!  Kathy said, “Her teachers better teaching things right the first time, because she will learn it and remember it that way!”

The weather has been rather cold at nights lately, but the days have been wonderful.  I would prefer if the days were in the 70’s rather than back up to the 80’s, but we also need the warmth in the day to ripen our produce.

            It sounds like we are going to have a rather heated several months on the campaign trail since the conventions are over!  I will be so glad when the elections are over and we can settle down to something other than the bad-mouthing that goes on during these campaigns.  If everyone would talk about what and how they intend on making changes rather than putting down the other party, it would surely be a more pleasant world to live in!

            We love you all and pray that you have a wonderful week.

            Love Grammy and Kathy

I'm a survivor!!

Three weeks into driver's training I am still alive...whew! Eric is actually doing a very good job. It was a little shaky...no, it was very shaky in the beginning, but he's made great progress. Last night he went on his first drive with his instructor and he was very nervous and feeling underprepared (I'm not sure why...we are driving, driving, driving!). Each of the 20 or so skills he was to demonstrate were scored on a scale of 1-4. Any "1's" had to be repeated with extra driving time with the instructor...each extra hour costs $30. Well he came back with only one "3" and all the rest were "4's". He was so excited and relieved that he couldn't think about much else. Needless to say, we are very proud of him. Only 3 more drives and then a driving test and he will finish up and pass driver's ed and then hopefully in the near future he can get his license. That will be a day to celebrate!!